Johnny Lingo was a handsome bachelor in a village where the custom was that a man would pay a dowry to the father in order to be granted permission to marry the daughter. The average dowry price for a maiden was three cows, although an exceptionally beautiful girl might go for as high as five cows.

One day, Johnny Lingo went to the father of a girl named Sarita to negotiate a dowry. Tongues immediately began to wag, for it was well-known that Sarita was not very pretty. In fact, she was considered to be rather plain. And, Johnny Lingo was known for being such a sharp negotiator that some speculated he might be able to obtain Sarita for as low as one cow.

However, Johnny Lingo did nothing of the sort. He marched up to Sarita's father and offered eight cows for her hand in marriage. Eight cows! It was unheard of. No one had ever paid such a high price for a bride — especially for such a "plain Jane" woman as Sarita.

But after the wedding, a strange thing happened. Sarita began to take on a noble bearing. Her head was held high. Her eyes sparkled. She beamed with an inner glow. And in the years that followed, she became renowned as the most beautiful woman in all the village. People would come from afar to see her as her radiant grace became almost legendary.

One day, Johnny Lingo was asked why he had paid such an exorbitant price for a wife. He replied, "I loved Sarita and wanted to express the high value of our marriage. Her self esteem has been greatly elevated as she realizes that her dowry price was higher than any other woman in the village."

Then with a grin, he added, "But the other reason I had was that I always wanted to marry an eight-cow wife."

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16) We were bought for a high price. You are of great value.

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